Steak tartar with grenade potatoes, 17€

Raved about in the French press when ex-Bistral owner Arnaud Bradol took over last year, this 3-story wine bar/bistro located just off the place des Victoires was a pleasant surprise during a recent Sunday lunch. Its continuing success is due to a simple idea: the finest produce, simply prepared. A plate of delicious charcuterie, sliced on a vintage hand-worked machine started us off just right, followed by a starter of succulent tuna, rolled in sesame and served with an avocado purée. The highlight (which pretty much everyone in the place was having) was a superb steak tartar au couteau, made with top-grade beef from Desnoyer, mixed with parsley and aged parmesan, and served with roasted grenade potatoes. The pear tarte tatin with fresh cream was a delightfully decadent ending to a satisfying meal. AM